Little Rin Riding Hood
by Hika-chan1
Summary: *CHAP 1 UP* Girl get's killed by wolves, girl is ressurected and adopoted by powerful inu-youkai, years later girl meets wolf-youkai again, girl Screams. A story of Rin and Kouga
1. Prologue: Haven't I Seen You Before?

Don't even ask If I own them… you know I don't

**Little Rin Riding Hood**

An Inu Yasha Fanfic By Hika-chan

Prologue: Haven't I Seen You Before?

            I remember the first time that I saw him. I was in my tenth summer or so, I remember because I recall thinking that the wind was awfully nice and cool for the season. I had been living with Sesshoumaru-sama for about two years by then. I was out picking flowers in the field outside our home to decorate the dinner table with. I can't quite remember how but I had ditched Jaken somewhere in the palace. A feeling came over me, so I looked up and there he was, balanced on the balls of his feet and crouched down in front of me. "What is a little thing like you doing out here so far from home and alone?" he asked.

            I smiled at him, to innocent to realize the potential danger I was in. But really how much danger could I be in when I knew Sesshoumaru-sama was only a minute away in terms of my own speed? I pushed his nose with one of my petite fingers, a motion I had picked up from Kagome-neechan in the brief time I had spent with her. "Silly! Ri-" I stopped still learning to get out of the habit of talking in the third person, "I am not far from home! I live there!" I pointed to the castle not far in the distance, a type of home that before Sesshoumaru-sama I would never even imagined, much less dreamed of living in. 

            He stood and looked at my home and then back at me, surprised. "You live there?"

            "Uh-huh!" I nodded happily.

            "huh.. well who woulda guessed?" he grinned in a very youkai-like way. Of course I had known he was a youkai, Sesshoumaru-sama had many youkai over before, though I had only caught glimpses of most of them. But I had seen that grin before... It was too familiar. Suddenly an image flashed through my young mind, an image from a time when I was silent. An image of wolves, blood, and a glass star. This was not the first time I had seen this youkai, but the second. I stepped back the array of weeds and flowers in my hands slipping from my fingers as my young body shook. "Oy, what's wrong with you?"

            My lip trembled and I stared into the blue eyes that questioned my state of being. For a moment I thought my voice had abandoned me again but it found me before I barely realized it was missing. I turned and ran screaming my head off for Sesshoumaru-sama.

***

            I gotta say I wasn't expecting to see her. A little girl, a little _human_ girl, happily collecting flowers in a field right in front of the castle of the Lord of the Western lands, miles away from any human village. In her little pink and blue yukata with some of her hair tied into a ponytail on the side. For some reason my mind expected me to see her as looking more scruffy and dirty than she was now. But I couldn't figure out why.

            I was supposed to be meeting Sesshoumaru that day, but I had some time, despite the lack of the shards in my legs I was still pretty fast. Well fast compared to anyone else. I felt like I was trudging through waist deep snow with the speed I was going at then. So I decided to see what was up with this brave, or stupid, little girl. Crouching down in front of her I waited for her to notice me, which of course didn't take very long. "What is a little thing like you doing out here so far from home and alone?"

            To my utter surprise she did not seem scared or worried. To the contrary the little runt actually _smiled_ at me and put one of her little fingers on my nose. I was so taken back by what she did I almost missed her answer. "Silly Ri-...I am not far from home! I live there!" I looked up to Sesshoumaru's castle where she pointed, still getting over my initial surprise of her odd behavior. There had to be some kind of mistake. There was no way she could be living with that stiff uptight white dog who held tradition in such high regard.

            "You live there?" I really didn't believe her, of course it wasn't like asking the question again was going to change her answer... and of course it didn't

            "Uh-huh!" she answered as if I asked if those were really flowers she was holding.

            But as if by magic her answering a second time made me believe her. I knew she wasn't lying and know I knew she wasn't mistaken either. "Huh.. well who woulda guessed?" I had to grin at the irony of it all, Sesshoumaru the ruthless Lord of the Western Lands had a human child in his care. I looked back down at the girl, surprised to notice a change in her little face. It was a thoughtful kind of look like she was tryin' to figure me out. Then she looked scared and dropped the flowers she had. "Oy, what's wrong with you?" She seemed perfectly fine a minute ago, and somehow I knew she knew I was a youkai before now. So why the change? I didn't get much time to think about it though.

            "Sesshoumaru-sama!" She screamed, I had to put a hand to my ear and wince at the sound the child made as she ran screaming. Next thing I knew there was a hand at my throat and my back was on the ground, looking at the stoic expression and angry eyes of the Lord of the Western Lands.

~~~~~~~~~

Hika-chan: Alright… so waddaya think? I thinkyou guys are gonna kill me for starting another fic that just wouldn't leave me alone without finishing the other ones first that's what I think! ***runs and hides***


	2. CH 1: Altered By Association

**Hika-chan**: Hola! Chapter one! Woot!... ok so I shouldn't be so excited about that but whatever! I WOULD be REALLY excited if I owned Inu Yasha & Co… but I don't… and that makes me sad L

**Sesshoumaru**: *scoffs***** you stupid humans an your obsolete concerns

**Hika-chan**: *squeals***** Sesshou~~!!! Don't be so mmeeaan!

**Sesshoumaru**: *Covers his ears growling* Cease your screeching wench.

**Little Rin Riding Hood**

By Hika-chan

Chapter 1: Altered by Association

            His head snapped up at the sound. "Rin," he whispered. It was a noise he should not have heard, Jaken should have been watching her and made sure she was safe. But he heard it, Rin screamed for him and she was scared. With less than a thought at abandoning his current work Sesshoumaru vanished from the room so fast the movement did not even stir the papers he had sitting on the table. In moments he was outside his castle, rushing past his frightened ward and pushing a hand to the guilty youkai's throat. Wide surprised blue eyes met his as the wolf's back met the ground. "What did you do to her?" Sesshoumaru asked calmly, despite the true effort it was taking to repress a growl.

            "Sesshoumaru-sama!" The little girl cried from behind him, "Rin was scared!" 

            Sesshoumaru kept his eyes on the youkai beneath him, the girl usually reverted to talking in the third person when she was frightened, which was not very often. The fact that she was now was enough to send his blood boiling.

            "I didn't do anything," the brown haired wolf choked out, "We were talking when she just turned and ran."

            "Who are you?" The taiyoukai asked, worry for his ward overriding most of his current thoughts, not giving him the room his mind needed to seek his identity in his own mind.

            "Kouga, Prince of the Yourouzoku," he said. Ah yes, Kouga he almost forgot about him. After a moment of false consideration Sesshoumaru let go of the wolf's throat still fully on guard, but Rin was unharmed.. so why was she scared? Did he threaten her? Try to frighten her as so many youkai do to humans when bored? He studied him critically as the wolf sat up, rubbing his neck, "Are you're greetings always as friendly as Dog Turd's?"

            "Who?"

            "Inu Yasha," the wolf prince clarified. As any youkai could the prince must have been able to smell the blood ties between the hanyou and the youkai before him.

            Sesshoumaru blinked, almost wanting to grin at the nickname this prince had given to his sibling. "You know of my half brother?"

            The wolf grinned as he stood, "Heh, we've met."

            Rin had snuck up behind Sesshoumaru during the conversation. Now she hid behind him tugging on the waist of his pants. "Se-Sesshoumaru-sama?"

            "Yes Rin?"

            "Why is Sesshoumaru-sama talking to the scary youkai?" 

            Sesshoumaru looked down at the girl then to the wolf. "If you will excuse me Kouga-san I need a word with the girl."

            "Yeah, sure.." he said waving a hand, "Go right ahead." As expected the wolf was very informal and Sesshoumaru was glad to note that he apparently did not mind waiting.  Not that he really cared, he would have waited regardless because Rin was upset and that was something had to be remedied first. The inu youkai took the girl's hand off of his pants and began to walk her back towards the castle. One worried glance over her shoulder and she grabbed tightly onto the lord's sleeve and hugged close to him like a frightened pup.

            _What is she so scared about?_ Kouga wondered, _A minute ago she treated me no different than a puppy_. _And more to the point what's a human girl doing with the Youkai Lord of the Western Lands?_

***

            "Now Rin, tell me what happened," he asked the girl when they reached the gates of the castle. He knelt before her and put a hand on her shoulder, the slightest physical contact always making her feel better.

            "That's.. that's the mean youkai," she stuttered, tears threatening more so then he'd ever seen in the strange child.

            He didn't understand, for the most part Rin had been well shielded from his battles and as far as he knew she had never come to harm at the hands of a youkai while in his care. Nor did he smell any blood or injury on her, just her usual scent tainted slightly with that of grass and wildflowers. "Can you be more specific?"

            "The.. the one with.. with the wolves. He brought the wolves that bit Rin... the ones that... killed me."

            Understanding swiftly came upon the lord,"I see..." There were only two things that Rin feared. One was being left alone again, and the other was wolves. She could not sleep in the nights when they could be heard howling in the distance. Their cries echoing constantly in her ears and mind. Rin often felt that the very sound was tearing gashes open upon her skin again, like their teeth and claws had that day. Unless she was by his side, curled up in his arms, she could never sleep.  A behavior he knew he would have to wean her off of soon. In a few short years his ward, his daughter, would be a young woman and he would have to begin to let her face her demons on her own. He would not be able to guard her from the harshness of the cruel world especially that of youkai's. True he would be around to protect her for the rest of her short life, but the fact remained that he should not have to. Of course she could not have understand it now even if he told her. So instead Sesshoumaru-sama simply told her to do something completely unrelated to what we just spoke of. "Rin go to the Dojo and choose a weapon you like."

            Yes, her guardian, her father, was quite the master of subject change. "Sesshoumaru-sama?"

            "There will come a time when you must take care of yourself young one, though I will never abandon you. I want to begin preparing you for that time. Meanwhile I want you to be aware that that wolf is our guest-"

            He would be staying? The one that killed her? "But-"

            "No buts on this, pup," he commanded. "But do not fear that wolf will never hurt you again."

            "You promise?" All she ever needed was his assurance, but thoughts of the wolf still plagued her.

            The familial bond he shared with this strange little girl prompted the slightest ghost of a smile upon his lips, a rare thing he only shared with her. "Promise. Now run along to the dojo."

            "HAI!"

            As the sound of her pattering feet faded off down the hall Sesshoumaru turned and saw the wolf the in question approaching the gate at a leisurely pace. "Am I still welcome?" he asked with a sarcastic grin.

            Sesshoumaru nodded, "You are as I informed you before."

            "Can I ask what's wrong with the kid?"

            "A youkai brought wolves to her village that killed everyone. It was chance that I found her and that she now lives." Kouga nodded his understanding. Sesshoumaru's voice lowered. "All she ever says is that he came to retrieve a star."

            Kouga seemed about to respond before he stopped. "A star?"

            "Yes," the taiyoukai answered, knowing already what had happened. "They were more commonly referred to as shards of the shikon jewel."

            Kouga was not sure how to react, he knew exactly what the lord was saying and he knew that it was true. The child was injured because of him, and it was obvious now that Sesshoumaru cared for her like his own pup. The possible repercussions could not be ignored. The wolf prince knelt down on one knee, expressing an air of formality that Sesshoumaru knew was not often practiced among the more feral wolf tribes. "I apologize, Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands, for any inconvenience my past actions may have caused you without my knowledge."

            The white dog nodded, as though to let the wolf know he had accepted his apology. "Though the actions of you and your wolves directly resulted in the girl coming into my care you are forgiven." The wolf nodded, though still confused. Was he forgiving him harming the child? Or forgiving him for the inconvenience the child now was? "However I fell I should inform you," Sesshoumaru continued his voice becoming ice cold, "If you harm the child again I will personally hunt you down and kill you." Definitely for the former.

            Kouga tried to level his gaze at the lord, it did not come off as confident as he had hoped but he did not back down either. "Do not worry Sesshoumaru-sama. I have no reason and see no benefit in doing so, nor would I be so stupid as to go against you."

            "Good, one of the servants will show you to your guest quarters."

            "With all due respect Sesshoumaru-sama I would like to discuss what I came here to and get back to my tribe, they are hopeless without me after all," he said with a grin, returning to his normal self.

            Sesshoumaru nodded, "In that case," he raised a hand a servant approached. "Escort Kouga-san to the audience chamber. I will be there shortly. "Kouga inclined his head to lord as he was led inside. The inu youkai slowly closed his eyes and let out a breath, a rough equivalent to a sigh for him. He was sure whatever the wolf wanted to discuss would be easily taken care of as said Prince seemed to know his place. However his very presence had brought up an interesting topic in regards to his young ward. Despite his nature he had brought the girl up in a rather protective shell, one that was put up around her own. She had watched her family be killed, then her whole village before being killed herself. In response to this the girl seemed to have no reaction to the sights of ruin and destruction, the result was nothing to her young eyes. But actually seeing it happen, that was different. 

            So the question came up, How would he break the fear she had and how would he continue to raise her? Would he teach her to be a lady or some kind or a fighter? The former had few true uses but the latter invited danger and harm upon her, for one could not be a true warrior unless one fought. He already had her taught to read and simple mathematics, but for once the lord had not thought much further ahead. He would have to ask her once his hopefully quick business with the wolf prince was done. Of course he had already started her on the path of a fighter by telling her to claim a weapon…

***

            "I gotta say Sesshoumaru it's a good thing I'm not staying here tonight. That would spoil me rotten."

            "Somehow I do not think that is truly the case. Now what business is it that you have with me Kouga-san?"

            "Huh?" the wolf asked, turning his attention away from his surroundings and back to his host. "Oh yeah, well as you know my tribe usually moves around only once every few decades." Sesshoumaru nodded. The wolf cleared his throat then continued, obviously unused to the form of speech he was using. "Well we enjoy our current territory, but the population of our usual prey of deer is starting to dwindle far too much. If we want to be able to eventually return we will have to leave and give them time to recover soon. I was hoping that my tribe would be able to move into a forested portion of your land and reside there for a few years, less than a decade, while the deer repopulate."

            Sesshoumaru nodded, understanding the simple necessities of the ecosystem, "And what will you do for this Sesshoumaru while residing on my land?"

            "We will guard the area you give us for you and pay with whatever tribute you deem necessary."

            Once again the youkai lord inclined his head; wolves did not often hold the same value on items that inu youkai like himself had. They had little interest in gold and artwork and other such trinkets. "I will consider your offer and possible areas for your people to inhabit. Return in two days for my answer."

            Kouga bowed, "Thank you Sesshoumaru-sama, now if I may take my leave?"

            "You may."

            As Kouga left the palace he let out a sigh of relief, that had gone much smoother than he had dared to hope, especially when it came to the matter of Sesshoumaru's little human... ward? pet?... Whatever, the child. At more than one moment Kouga had thought the Western Lord was going to tear his throat out. Fortunately for him, he was much more logical and sensible than his half brother Inu Yasha. Speeding away from the castle his relieved countenance soon turned to one of confidence as his traditional grin formed on his lips. _This might not turn out so bad after all_.

***

            Sesshoumaru walked into the dojo expecting to find Rin there looking at the weapons rack thoughtfully. He really should have remembered the unpredictable nature of his ward better. There she was, in the dojo as expected, but somehow the little child had managed to pull most of the weapons off the rack and she sat amongst them looking at them as happily as she looked at flowers. Some he would have thought out of her reach, others just too heavy for her to lift. A quick glance at the floor and Sesshoumaru knew that in at least one aspect he was correct. There were several dents and scratches in the polished wood, obvious signs of her dropping the items (or even throwing them down in favor of another one).

            "I see you have much enthusiasm for my decision to teach you," he said stoically, had he been anyone else his surprise would have been very obvious.

            "Sesshoumaru-sama! I can't decide!" Rin exclaimed happily as she jumped up, hopping around all the weapons to her to the youkai. There were several moments where her guardian fear she would trip over a handle of cut her foot but the oblivious child made her way to him with no difficulty or injury. She was obviously very nimble. She grabbed onto his sleeve and pulled him to the now horizontal display of weapons. First she pointed at the most common, a katana.  "I like this one because it looks like Sesshoumaru-sama's, nice sword!" she said obviously referring to Tenseiga. "But this one, reminds Ri- me of your markings!" This time she pointed to a lajatang, a staff with a crescent shaped blade on either end. "And this one is pretty!" she smiled lifting up a war-fan happily in two hands.

            Sesshoumaru eyed the odd child; truly she never ceased to amaze him sometimes, looking so innocent holding a weapon before him, the delicate pattern on the thick cloth concealing the nature of the steel vanes that ran through it. Sesshoumaru considered each weapon, the katana he felt was too common, anyone with some battle experience should know how to defend and attack against it. The lajatang, being a two handed weapon would offer Rin better control of the weapon and possibly more reach. Then the war-fan could be more easily concealed and some of the principles of using it could even apply to normal fans. Maybe she could learn all three? Or at least two of them, Rin was no doubt a bright child but he was not sure how much she could readily learn. "I will start you on the war-fan Rin, then we shall see about the others."

            "Yay!" Rin happily cried and began dancing around Sesshoumaru. With as happy as she was about it Sesshoumaru's earlier question was answered. Rin was going to be a warrior.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hika-chan: Ok.. well I really didn't know if I wanted to keep this story in First person perspective or not. I was just planning on doing it in the prologue… It would end up being with  3 Perspectives, Rin, Kouga, and Sesshoumaru. I had already written this chap in 3rd so **I'd like you guys to tell me if you want me to put this back into First person POV**. If I do I will _re-write and repost this chapter. Here's the first part of this chap if it went the other way. _

~~

            My head snapped up at the sound. "Rin," I whispered. It was a noise I should not have heard, Jaken should have been watching her and made sure she was safe. But I did hear it, Rin screamed for me and she was frightened. With less than a thought at abandoning my current work I left in less time than it took to think about it. Not even thinking about how Jaken would later pay for his incompetence. In moments I was outside the castle, rushing past my frightened ward and pushing a hand to the guilty youkai's throat. Wide surprised blue eyes met my own as the wolf's back met the ground. "What did you do to her?" My voice was usually calm, despite the true effort it was taking to repress a growl.

            "Sesshoumaru-sama!" The little girl cried from behind me, "Rin was scared!" 

            I kept my eyes on the youkai beneath him, the girl usually reverted to talking in the third person when she was frightened, which was not very often. The fact that she was now though...

            "I didn't do anything," the brown haired wolf choked out, "We were talking when she just turned and ran."

            "Who are you?" The I asked, worry for Rin overriding most of my thoughts, not giving me the room my mind needed to seek his identity in my own mind.

            "Kouga, Prince of the Yourouzoku," was his answer. Ah yes, Kouga I almost forgot about him. After a moment of false consideration I let go of the wolf's throat still fully on guard, but Rin was unharmed.. so why was she scared? Did he threaten her? Try to frighten her as so many youkai do to human when bored? I studied him critically as the wolf sat up, rubbing his neck, "Are you're greetings always as friendly as inukoro's?"

            Inukoro? Who would have such a name? "Who?"

            "Inu Yasha," the wolf prince clarified. As any youkai could, the prince must have been able to smell the bloodties between the hanyou and myself.

            I blinked, almost wanting to grin at the nickname this prince had given to my sibling. Obviously though he must have seen or fought him before. "You know of my half brother?"

            The wolf grinned as he stood, "Heh, we've met."

            Rin had snuck up behind me sometime during the conversation and now she hid behind me tugging on the waist of my pants. "Se-Sesshoumaru-sama?"

            "Yes Rin?"

            "Why is Sesshoumaru-sama talking to the scary youkai?" 

            I looked down at the pup then to Kouga. "If you will excuse me Kouga-san I need a word with the girl."

            "Yeah, sure.." he said waving a hand, "Go right ahead." As I expected the wolf was very informal and I was glad to note that he apparently did not mind waiting.  Not that I really cared, he would have waited reguardless because Rin was upset and that was something I had to remedy first. I gently pried the girl's hand off of my pants and began to walk her back towards the castle. One worried glance over her shoulder and she grabbed tightly onto the my sleeve and hugged close to me like a frightened pup.

~~

Yeah it's basically the same but… it is different! Please Give me your input before I go write the whole next chapter then have to re-write it before posting!!


	3. Bye To the Boogie Man

**Hika-chan:** Okies decided on the POV(a while ago now.. but whatever)... both! Some chapters (probably all of them) will start off with a brief First person interlude, before going on into the chapter.  
Also this story begins about two years after Sesshoumaru adopts Rin, so the two have changed a bit due to the time they have spent together. As far as he is concerned Rin is his daughter, even though he doesn't act like a typical human father (duh). This is also after Naraku's defeated and the shards completed (whoa a rhyme) and all that. Though that has little to do with the story b/c I don't currently intend on any other IY chars showing up... but you never know...

-don't own 'em

**Little Rin Riding Hood**  
An InuYasha Fanfiction By Hika-chan  
**Chap 2: Bye to the Boogie-Man**  


  
  
_I can't say I was surprised when Sesshoumaru said we could stay. I knew he was way too practical to refuse us just because of the girl.... It's strange though, I don't really remember her, even though I know it was my fault she was hurt. Her scent had the briefest familiarity to it though I could not truly place how. When I returned to Sesshoumaru's castle I asked him about her. I had noticed the little girl, Rin was her name, peeking in the room behind me. I didn't see the runt, but I could smell her and her fear. Lord Iceman told me where he met her and where he found her. Thinkin' back I figured I "met" the kid not long before I met Kagome and Inukoro. I swear fate is really messed up sometimes. Then again so is Sesshoumaru, I asked him what he wished of us. He said to protect the lands and howl as much as we like... What the f-_  
  


-------------  
  
In terms of helping Rin, allowing the wolves to stay in his lands was likely one of the best things Sesshoumaru could have done, and one of the hardest. At first it was very hard for her as he tried to get her to not sleep beside him. The wolves were far enough away from the castle to cause Rin little worry but once a month, and sometimes for several nights in a row, when their howls could be heard in celebration or ritual. So to wean her off Sesshoumaru had a futon put into his room, allowing her to sleep there, but not in his bed. Those nights he did not expect to sleep as he was constantly picking the girl up and laying her back on the futon when she would try to crawl up to him. Then he moved the futon to the other side of the room, causing Rin to fitfully toss and turn before she would, occasionally, fall asleep from exhaustion.  
  
Of course while the upsides had their merits, his conscience was currently torturing him with the consequences of teaching Rin to face her fears...alone. He had told her last week that she would no longer be allowed to come into his room when dreams and the wolves plagued her and now she sat outside his bedroom door this night, hands over her ears and slight whimpers escaping her lips. _She really sounds like a pup, _he found himself musing as the howls continued to echo. Sesshoumaru stared at the ceiling as he lay in bed; he had been teaching her how to fight, starting with hand-to-hand before going into the weapons she chose. Her strength and agility were improving greatly, but the confidence he had been teaching her often wavered on these nights, as was made obvious by the frightful child sitting outside his bedroom door. He sighed and stood, grabbing a night robe on his way to the door. He opened it revealing his tired and frightened ward. She gave an odd combination of a whimper and a happy noise as she wrapped her arms around his leg.  
  
The youkai lord felt a slight twinge of guilt in his heart for the pain he was putting her through, but it was a necessity. He knelt down and picked her up. "Are you going to stay with me tonight Sesshoumaru-sama?"  
  
Sesshoumaru shook his head as he opened the door to her room. "No Rin."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Rin."  
  
"..hai.." she said in a small voice as he put her down on her bed.  
  
He tucked her in, feeling somewhat out of place in doing so, then sat on the edge of the bed. "Rin, where are you?"  
  
"In my room."  
  
"And where is that?"  
  
"In Sesshoumaru-sama's castle."  
  
"Do you not feel safe in your own home?"  
  
"I do but... Ri- I am scared," she said pulling the covers closer to her.  
  
"I am more than close enough to keep you safe. Do not fear the noises of those that are so far off. Oyasumi Rin."  
  
Rin smiled and jumped up, hugging the taiyoukai around the neck and giving him a peck on the cheek, "Oyasumi Sesshoumaru-sama!"  
  
Sesshoumaru blinked in surprise at the gesture but said nothing feeling all the more strange as he tucked the girl in again. Closing her door and heading back into his room he tried to think of other ways to help the girl loose her fear. _Perhaps some meditations, _he thought, _She does well enough at them already, she is extremely patient for a human child. _Of course he knew she was, at least when it came to him, Rin had always waited faithfully for him when he left her with Aun and Jaken.  
  
Sesshoumaru added visualizations to the child's training the very next day, he had a particular exercise in mind for her, but getting her to that point took some preparation. She learned quickly and eagerly, often practicing her fighting (and occasionally her meditations) even after the youkai dismissed her. Within a month she could sense the imbalance in her chakras, by the next she could balance them for the most part. In another three she could generate a weak charge of her ki. Not enough to do any damage, but enough for him to sense it and teach her to focus it, to use it to protect herself as a shield. She could also see some things that other humans would only register as a chill or a feeling. It was at this point he would teach her a new lesson.  
  
"Sit here," he instructed. The child did so, confused as to why she was sitting in the dojo this late at night, she should be getting ready for bed.  
  
"Sesshoumaru-sama, what are we doing? Am I not supposed to be getting ready for bed?"  
  
"This is a special lesson tonight Rin. Tonight you will learn to control your fear."  
  
"How Sesshoumaru-sensei?" She asked, the honorific fitting to his tone.  
  
"Remember those visualization techniques I taught you?" The girl nodded. "You will meditate here, alone, hands open, without putting a protection around yourself, and you will focus on those things you most fear. I will return in an hour. Do not move till I return." With that the Lord turned and left, leaving the dojo door open.  
  
He left her? To face her fears alone? At least he had said he was coming back but.. She could just say she did the exercise, but he would know, and she never lied to Sesshoumaru. Reluctantly she got into position. Sitting on her heels, one hand upon the other palms up and open in a position that welcomed anything that would come. Rin closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  
  
It wasn't as calming as it usually was.  
  
Ok try again, in with good, out with bad, in with good, out with bad. In with courage, out with fear.... wait. She shook her head resisting the urge to focus her ki into a positive aura around herself. _Sesshoumaru-sensei said not to do a protection. Now what do I do? _She did not need to think very long, her lessons from the past five months very fresh in her mind. _'Clear your thoughts,'_ her mentor's voice could be heard in her head. And so she began to do just that. She was about to reach that spot, that moment of peacefulness, it was almost within her grasp...  
  
Then the wolves began to howl.  
  
Her eyes burst open, her concentration shattered as fear gripped her heart. How could she have forgotten!? It was a full moon and the wolves always howled on the full moon! Her eyes eagerly darted over to the open doorway. If one walked by they would see her there, meditating and likely helpless. Who knew what they would do then. _'You anticipate too much.'_ The memory of Sesshoumaru told her. Though the comment had been directed to her fighting at the time the fact that it came to her now must have meant something. Maybe she could get up and close the door...  
  
But Sesshoumaru-sensei told her not to move.  
  
While Sesshoumaru-_sama_ could be very forgiving and may try to make it up to her later, Sesshoumaru-_sensei_ was not so nice. Oh he would never hurt her, but something along the lines of a hundred pushups or running laps in place of a lesson was not so far fetched. She did not like it but she did not hate Sesshoumaru-sensei either... after all Sesshoumaru-sama had told her he was only so hard on her because he wanted her to be strong. And she wanted to be strong. She wanted to be just like her father, just like Sesshoumaru.  
  
So once again the girl reluctantly closed her eyes but with new resolve. She tried to reach that calm before going into it, but somehow trying to block out the howls while inviting in her fears seemed counter-productive. _Ok, _she told herself, _basics first right Sesshoumaru-sensei? _That decided she would go into her calm state first, _then_ she would visualize her fears like Sesshoumaru-sensei had told her. With the howling outside it took her a little longer to reach her calm, but she managed it after a little while. She took one more deep breath to ready herself, and then it would be time to plunge headfirst into the lake of fear. 

------------------  
  
Sesshoumaru sighed from where he sat across the garden well outside the range of her sixth sense watching her. He wondered if he was pushing her too soon. Was he just doing it for his own convenience? So that she would not whine and keep him up at night? Or was she really ready for this? The girl was perhaps only nine or ten, and she was human… but a human who had seen much for her short life. The youkai lord was very confident in her potential, and had no doubt that she could eventually do this… But could she do this _now? _  
  
From where he sat, concealed by the garden between them, he watched. He was not going to interfere, not unless she truly was in danger. No matter how much she cried, or whined, or screamed he would not move. The he saw it, saw her relaxed shoulders stiffened slightly. Now the hard part was about to begin, for both of them.  
  


------------  
  
The first thing she heard under the howls was padded feet on dirt behind her, always behind her, slowly getting closer and closer. Then growls, and the foliage falling around their path as they kicked up the dirt and debris. Breathing, their breath, and hers, fast paced, in anticipation, in fear. She could feel their hunger, their bloodlust, they were coming for her! She almost screamed out when she stopped herself. _No, _she thought, _I'm not in the woods. I'm in the dojo. There is nothing chasing me, and I am not running. _She took a moment trying to calm herself before she felt a presence nearby. It was not Jaken nor Sesshoumaru-sama… nor anyone else familiar. Next there was a nearly silent footstep, it was outside the door. It was coming for her. One of the howls seemed closer than before. She heard the steps coming closer, wolf steps, then another set joined the last.  
  
They were close, very close, she could hear their breathing. She could almost see them, their tongues hungrily lolling outside their mouths, saliva thick and dripping from their fangs. Fangs, sharp, sharp teeth that wanted to rend the flesh from her bones. Just like last time, just like before. They were going to do it again, and again. She felt the hot breath on the back of her neck and in her face, she gulped slightly and the first of her tears started rolling down from her eyes. But she wasn't going to move, she was told to meditate on her fears and that's what she was going to do!  
  
… That's what she was already doing.  
  


----------------  
  
"Rin. You can stop now." Slowly the girl's eyes opened and she turned to her mentor and father. She bit her lip and he noted the tear tracks down her face. Another pang of guilt struck him, but he was also very proud of her. He could smell the fear in the air, all of which had come from her, but she had remained and fought through it all. "You stayed here the whole time Rin, which was very of you." He knelt beside her and placed his hand atop her head. "I am very proud of you."  
  
She wanted to smile, knowing this was her father talking more than her mentor, but she just felt so exhausted. "Sesshoumaru-sama," she whined slightly before throwing herself against him crying.  
  
"Shh…" he said picking her up (another act that he found unfamiliar) "Come along now, it is time you got ready for bed."  
  


--------------  
  
By the time the youkai lord got her to her room the child was already asleep. Gently he placed her in the bed and covered her in the fur he usually had wrapped around his arm. She sighed contentedly in her exhausted sleep and curled up deep within it. _Rest well Rin, you have earned it. _He stopped at the door then, realizing he could still hear some of the wolves howling in the distance, turning back again he noticed that the child did not display any forms of fear or discomfort. "You did very well tonight indeed," he said quietly as he closed the door behind him leaving the girl to dream.  
  
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**Hika-chan:** Oh yeah, short F'in chapter! I usually write twice as much as this but… well, this is a self contained chapter, there needs to be little else added to it. I'm thinking next chapter will be one of those fast forward chapters, you know so that way Rin is of a proper age for this to not be creepy or gross. I'm also thinking of changing the name of this fic. I just don't like "Little Rin Riding Hood" anymore… shrug oh well, it's not exactly a high priority right now. For a status report on this and other fics o' mine please see my Profile on (author name Hika-chan1).  
**Kouga:** Well I think that was a boring chapter.  
**Hika-chan: **_grinning_ Why? Because you didn't make a pompous ass of yourself?  
**Kouga:** _deadpan_ No  
**Hika-chan: **Because you didn't get to beat up Inuyasha?  
**Kouga: **Well I didn't, but no.  
**Hika-chan: **You mean because you weren't in it at all except for the little excerpt thingy in the beginning?  
**Kouga: **Pretty much, yeah.  
**Hika-chan: **_looking sorry_ Well you know what?  
**Kouga: **What?  
**Hika-chan: **TOO DAMN BAD! _Sticks out her tongue and scurries off_  
**Kouga: **HEY!  
  



End file.
